The UW says its 2-mile section of the 27-mile-long trail has the highest bicycle and pedestrian traffic of any shared-use path in the state: 500 bicyclist and 300 pedestrians an hour. About 9 percent of UW students and staff commute by bike.

Trail use is expected to grow with a light rail station opening in 2016 at Husky Stadium.

Improvements will widen the trail and create separate lanes for walking and bicycling. The work could start this fall.